projects: scoping digital repository services for research data management - findings of consultation with service units in Oxford
BackgroundThe consultation with service providers in Oxford aimed to validate the researchers requirements for services gathered through the scoping study interviews as well as to determine the data management services available to researchers and plans for future ones. A series of interviews with service providers and a workshop were arranged and complemented with some desk research for this consultation exercise. The focus was primarily on Oxford central support services and the data management services they provide or plan to provide in the next 3 to 5 years.
FindingsExpertise in the different areas of data management and curation is widespread amongst service units at Oxford. In many cases support is provided in an individual and ad-hoc basis but services are not being made explicit as per the lack of resources to offer those.
On the whole, the vast majority of the research data management services identified are not being offered fully or at all by service units across the University. Moreover, those services currently on offer would benefit of coordination to make them more seamless to the researchers using them.
In addition to this, there is a need for a University wide policy for management and curation of research data as well as for provision of advice and guidance to service units at all levels.
RecommendationsThe findings from this consultation were presented to the Oxford Digital Repositories Steering Group in the November 2008 meeting and the following two main recommendations were produced:
- One FTE post should be created to be proactive in raising awareness and provide support for research data management;
- Infrastructure services should be developed to support the research data lifecycle recognizing that resources already exist.
If you would like to comment on the findings report please send your feedback to Luis Martinez- Uribe.